{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]],"date-time":"2026-07-13T06:10:18Z","timestamp":1783923018157,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]],"date-time":"2026-07-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783900800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Digit. Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Stress in childhood and adolescence can disrupt emotional, cognitive, and physiological development and contribute to long-term health consequences. Conventional assessments, such as cortisol sampling and retrospective questionnaires, are often invasive, burdensome, and poorly suited for repeated pediatric use. Advances in mobile health, wearable devices, and other non-invasive sensing approaches offer new opportunities for real-time stress detection, monitoring, and mitigation in children and adolescents.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This scoping review synthesizes evidence on non-invasive technologies for pediatric stress detection, monitoring, and mitigation, with attention to mobile, wearable, and ubiquitous health applications. It maps reported technologies, protocols, study contexts, and intervention approaches, and identifies gaps for future research and practice.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, four bibliographic databases\u2013PubMed, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, and ACM Digital Library\u2013were searched, with Google Scholar screened as a supplementary source. Searches covered peer-reviewed studies published from January 2013 to April 2026. Eligible studies involved participants aged 0\u201318 years, evaluated non-invasive technological methods for stress detection, monitoring, or mitigation, and reported empirical outcomes. Data were charted across technology type, stress induction and validation, study context, age group, evaluation method, datasets, and intervention strategies.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Thirty-four studies were included. Wearable and mobile sensing approaches dominated the literature, while fewer studies examined non-contact, ambient, or hybrid systems. Stress induction and assessment methods were heterogeneous, often relying on task-based, situational, or context-specific stressors rather than standardized pediatric protocols. Studies were conducted in school, laboratory, home, therapy, and emerging clinical contexts, although longitudinal real-world deployments remained limited. Children under 13 years were more frequently represented than adolescents, while younger children and developmentally diverse populations remained unevenly studied. A smaller subset examined mitigation strategies, including biofeedback, serious games, smart objects, and caregiver- or parent-mediated interventions. Ethical, privacy, and implementation issues were acknowledged but not systematically addressed.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Non-invasive technologies show strong potential for pediatric stress detection, monitoring, and mitigation, particularly through wearable, mobile, and interactive systems. However, the field remains methodologically fragmented. Future work should develop age-appropriate stress protocols, improve dataset diversity and transparency, conduct ecologically valid longitudinal evaluations, and strengthen ethical, privacy, and equity considerations for translation into schools, homes, telehealth, and clinical care.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fdgth.2026.1867488","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]],"date-time":"2026-07-13T05:33:50Z","timestamp":1783920830000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Digital technologies for non-invasive stress detection, monitoring, and mitigation in children and adolescents: a scoping review"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"8","author":[{"given":"Arshad","family":"Nasser","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals","place":["Dhahran, Saudi Arabia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Malak","family":"Baslyman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals","place":["Dhahran, Saudi Arabia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sami","family":"Elferik","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals","place":["Dhahran, Saudi Arabia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"215","DOI":"10.1038\/nrcardio.2017.189","article-title":"Effects of stress on the development and progression of cardiovascular disease","volume":"15","author":"Kivim\u00e4ki","year":"2018","journal-title":"Nat Rev Cardiol"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"34","DOI":"10.1186\/s11689-020-09337-y","article-title":"Early life stress and development: potential mechanisms for adverse outcomes","volume":"12","author":"Smith","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Neurodev Disord"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1057","DOI":"10.17179\/excli2017-480","article-title":"The impact of stress on body function: a review","volume":"16","author":"Yaribeygi","year":"2017","journal-title":"EXCLI J"},{"key":"B4","volume-title":"Perceived Stress Scale","author":"Cohen","year":"1994"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"467","DOI":"10.7326\/M18-0850","article-title":"PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation","volume":"169","author":"Tricco","year":"2018","journal-title":"Ann Intern Med"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"143","DOI":"10.1186\/s12874-018-0611-x","article-title":"Systematic review or scoping review? Guidance for authors when choosing between a systematic or scoping review approach","volume":"18","author":"Munn","year":"2018","journal-title":"BMC Med Res Methodol"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"383","DOI":"10.1108\/QRJ-D-18-00035","article-title":"Qualitative research: deductive and inductive approaches to data analysis","volume":"18","author":"Azungah","year":"2018","journal-title":"Qual Res J"},{"key":"B8","author":"Evans","year":""},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2369","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare11172369","article-title":"Wearables for stress management: a scoping review","volume":"11","author":"Gonz\u00e1lez Ram\u00edrez","year":"2023","journal-title":"Healthcare"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"413","DOI":"10.1136\/amiajnl-2010-000020","article-title":"Review of health information technology usability study methodologies","volume":"19","author":"Yen","year":"2012","journal-title":"J Am Med Inform Assoc"},{"key":"B11","year":""},{"key":"B12","author":"Nur Bilgin Aktas","year":""},{"key":"B13","author":"Deng","year":""},{"key":"B14","author":"Jin","year":""},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"72","DOI":"10.1186\/s13229-021-00477-z","article-title":"Examining the effect of a wearable, anxiety detection technology on improving the awareness of anxiety signs in autism spectrum disorder: a pilot randomized controlled trial","volume":"12","author":"Nguyen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mol Autism"},{"key":"B16","author":"Yu","year":""},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0045-1813651.","article-title":"Assessing pediatric dental stress through wearable technology: influence of procedure type, treatment phase, and age","author":"Ludovichetti","year":"2025","journal-title":"Eur J Dent"},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.1007\/s40368-024-00967-7","article-title":"Sensors: future tools for detecting young patient\u2019s stress during a dental invasive versus a non-invasive dental treatment\u2013a pilot study","volume":"26","author":"Jaldin","year":"2025","journal-title":"Eur Arch Paediatr Dent"},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e9","DOI":"10.2196\/iproc.6119","article-title":"Wearable stress sensors for children with autism spectrum disorder with in situ alerts to caregivers via a mobile phone","volume":"2","author":"Northrup","year":"2016","journal-title":"iProceedings"},{"key":"B20","author":"Masino","year":""},{"key":"B21","author":"Co\u015fkun","year":""},{"key":"B22","author":"Antle","year":""},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1936","DOI":"10.3390\/s17091936","article-title":"A biological signal-based stress monitoring framework for children using wearable devices","volume":"17","author":"Choi","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sensors"},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1983","DOI":"10.24507\/ijicic.19.06.1983","article-title":"Stress detection of children through speech signals in multi-speaker environment using deep learning","volume":"19","author":"Chyan","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int J Innov Comput Inf Control"},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e14029","DOI":"10.2196\/14029","article-title":"A smart toy intervention to promote emotion regulation in middle childhood: feasibility study","volume":"6","author":"Theofanopoulou","year":"2019","journal-title":"JMIR Ment Health"},{"key":"B26","author":"Yao","year":""},{"key":"B27","author":"Kumazaki","year":""},{"key":"B28","author":"Chaowadee","year":""},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103427","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbi.2020.103427","article-title":"Multi-modal interactive fusion method for detecting teenagers\u2019 psychological stress","volume":"106","author":"Zhang","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Biomed Inform"},{"key":"B30","author":"Li","year":""},{"key":"B31","author":"Thierfelder","year":""},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1141","DOI":"10.1109\/EMBC48229.2022.9871090","article-title":"UVM KID study: identifying multimodal features and optimizing wearable instrumentation to detect child anxiety","volume":"2022","author":"Loftness","year":"2022","journal-title":"Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc"},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"121837","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eswa.2023.121837","article-title":"Stress recognition from facial images in children during physiotherapy with serious games","volume":"238","author":"Vural","year":"2024","journal-title":"Expert Syst Appl"},{"key":"B34","author":"Co\u015fkun","year":""},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"913","DOI":"10.1057\/s41599-024-03410-w","article-title":"Real-time stress monitoring in a child-friendly court: a repeated measures field study","volume":"11","author":"Rodr\u00edguez-Pellejero","year":"2024","journal-title":"Humanit Soc Sci Commun"},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"588","DOI":"10.1109\/TAFFC.2018.2820049","article-title":"Physiological detection of affective states in children with autism spectrum disorder","volume":"11","author":"Sarabadani","year":"2020","journal-title":"IEEE Trans Affect Comput"},{"key":"B37","author":"Carlier","year":""},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1155\/2021\/5531770","article-title":"Modeling of child stress-state identification based on biometric information in mobile environment","volume":"2021","author":"Kim","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mobile Inf Syst"},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.17471\/2499-4324\/1050","article-title":"Development and usability of a gamified app to help children manage stress: an evaluation study","volume":"27","author":"Nicolaidou","year":"2019","journal-title":"Ital J Educ Technol"},{"key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5198","DOI":"10.3390\/nu14245198","article-title":"Horticultural therapy may reduce psychological and physiological stress in adolescents with anorexia nervosa: a pilot study","volume":"14","author":"Curzio","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"B41","author":"Redd","year":""},{"key":"B42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"256","DOI":"10.3390\/app15010256","article-title":"Evaluating the role of interactive encouragement prompts for parents in parent\u2014child stress management","volume":"15","author":"Wang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Appl Sci"},{"key":"B43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"382","DOI":"10.1038\/s41597-023-02272-2","article-title":"A physiological signal database of children with different special needs for stress recognition","volume":"10","author":"Co\u015fkun","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sci Data"},{"key":"B44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.11113\/jt.v78.9453","article-title":"Smart wearable stress monitoring device for autistic children","volume":"78","author":"Gul Airij","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Teknol"},{"key":"B45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"60","DOI":"10.25077\/jnte.v13n2.1203.2024","article-title":"Portable stress detection system for autistic children using fuzzy logic","volume":"13","author":"Melinda","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Nasional Tekn Elek"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Digital Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fdgth.2026.1867488\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]],"date-time":"2026-07-13T05:33:53Z","timestamp":1783920833000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fdgth.2026.1867488\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]]},"references-count":45,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fdgth.2026.1867488"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fdgth.2026.1867488","relation":{},"ISSN":["2673-253X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2673-253X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]]},"article-number":"1867488"}}